There is generally the problem of coupling an optical unit, such as a vertically emitting laser or a photodiode, to an optical waveguide in an effective manner. For this purpose it is known to carry out active adjustment of the optical waveguide in relation to the optical unit. In this case, the optical waveguide is oriented to a maximum coupled-in or coupled-out power during operation of the optical unit and is fixed in this position. This active adjusting operation is very time-consuming and cost-intensive, however, and is therefore not suitable for a high-volume use.
DE 199 09 242 A1 has disclosed an optoelectronic module, in which a leadframe having an optoelectronic transducer is positioned in a module housing and is cast with a transparent, moldable material. Light is coupled in or out using an optical fiber, which is coupled to a connector of the module housing. The driver module or reception module for the optoelectronic transducer is also located on the leadframe.
US-B2-6 470 120 describes a method and an apparatus, with which both an optical component and an associated optical waveguide are in each case arranged on an inner sleeve, which is formed eccentrically in relation to an outer sleeve, which is fixedly arranged in an outer frame. In this case, the inner sleeve is in each case arranged such that it can rotate in a corresponding hole in the outer sleeve. Furthermore, the optical component and the optical waveguide are in each case arranged eccentrically in the inner sleeve. By rotating the outer and/or inner sleeve, in each case the position of the optical component and of the optical waveguide can be adjusted and the latter can be positioned with respect to one another by rotating the respective inner and outer sleeves in a suitable manner.
DE-A-23 58 785 has disclosed an adjustable coupling apparatus for optical components, with which an optical fiber is arranged in an eccentric hole in a plug part, which is arranged in a likewise eccentric hole in a plug eccentric, the plug eccentric being mounted centrally in an eccentric guide. Owing to a superimposition of the rotational movements of the plug part and the plug eccentric, the entry surface of the optical fiber can be aligned with the position of an optical element, which is to be optically coupled to the optical fiber.
It is also generally known to use a coupling lens when optically coupling an optical component to an optical waveguide, said coupling lens being arranged between the optical component and the optical waveguide. When producing optical components having a lens, in this case two or more embodiments are known. In one first embodiment, the coupling lens is formed directly from the material of the housing of the optical component. For example, the lens is formed using a transparent material, which is injection-molded around an optical component in an injection-molding process so as to provide a packaging. In a second embodiment, the coupling lens is produced discretely, on the other hand, and is then attached to an optical component or connected to it in another manner.
In relation to the latter embodiment, it is known from US 2002/0131728 A1 to arrange an optical subsystem having an eccentrically arranged lens on a submount, on which a light-emitting or light-detecting optical unit is already arranged. The light-emitting or light-detecting optical unit and the optical subsystem are in this case fixed to the same submount.
Owing to production tolerances, there is generally disadvantageously in each case an offset between the optical axis of an optical waveguide, into which light is intended to be coupled or from which light is intended to be coupled, of the coupling lens and the component. This reduces the quality of the coupling-in/coupling-out of light into/from the optical waveguide.